fetal nutrients before 6 weeks?

ManiacMcGee · August 2010

So the idea that the fetus doesn't get nutrients from the mother for at least 6 weeks is thrown around a lot on this board.

I have never heard this before coming here so I am curious as to where you guys are getting this information? I'm not saying its not true, I'd just like to read something informative about it so I'm hoping you can link me to it.

I tried googling, but I can not seem to find anything relevant.

Also, there are a ton of changes that are occurring from conception to 6weeks, so how DOES the developing blastocyst get the nutrients needed to support such an expensive use of energy?

And if 6 weeks is the magic number, why are we told to take prenatal vitamins during the whole time we are TTA if it doesn't matter until 6 weeks?

Just curious, hoping someone can point me in the right direction

EDITED for spelling

RickeyandDani · August 2010

I say don't worry about what people always say. Do what YOU feel is right. A blastocyst is so small that's probably why they say it doesn't need a lot of nutrients. But during the 1st 6 weeks I still was as healthy as possible to prepare my body for the weeks ahead. Healthy mom = healthy fetus (usually).

Milliways · August 2010

While the primitive placenta is developing the yolk sak provides nutrients and creates red blood cells, around week 5 the primitive placenta starts to takes over and at 6 weeks or so the yolk sac is gone and the placenta takes over this is when blood and oxygen from the mother are shared (where you hear the term "crossing the placenta")

Prenatals are important for the nueral tube development, which begins in week 4 or 5, you are recommended to have prenatals in your body because the nueral tube is fold a the the top of the embroy which means it was created from the exisisting cells a the inception of pregnacy not at 4 weeks.

Does that makes sense? As lame as the website is, baby center does a pretty go job of explaining it as does your Pregnancy week by week.

https://www.babycenter.com/100_fetal-development_5214615.bc

ManiacMcGee · August 2010

Milliways:
While the primitive placenta is developing the yolk sak provides nutrients and creates red blood cells, around week 5 the primitive placenta starts to takes over and at 6 weeks or so the yolk sac is gone and the placenta takes over this is when blood and oxygen from the mother are shared (where you hear the term "crossing the placenta")

Prenatals are important for the nueral tube development, which begins in week 4 or 5, you are recommended to have prenatals in your body because the nueral tube is fold a the the top of the embroy which means it was created from the exisisting cells a the inception of pregnacy not at 4 weeks.

Does that makes sense? As lame as the website is, baby center does a pretty go job of explaining it as does your Pregnancy week by week.

https://www.babycenter.com/100_fetal-development_5214615.bc

Yes, that makes sense. LOL, I would never have clicked on a site called babycenter for information, so I'm glad you pointed that out. However, I guess I see the yolk sac as being "made" by the mother with her nutrients. Fine line of distinction I suppose.

meg&jeff · August 2010

I have a mother who is a Midwife, and so I get a lot of my information from her. When it comes to prenatals, the reason doctors and most health professionals recommend that "all women of child bearing age" should take PNVs even before they are pregnant, is to help build up healthy nutrients in their system to help support a healthy pregnancy. The most important of those being folic acid, which helps prevent some severe birth defects. PNVs have usually best amount of folic acid in them. So even though you're not sharing nutrients with the baby until approx 6 weeks, prenatals are just a good way to start making a healthy nutrient rich environment.

ManiacMcGee · August 2010

RickeyandDani:
I say don't worry about what people always say. Do what YOU feel is right. A blastocyst is so small that's probably why they say it doesn't need a lot of nutrients. But during the 1st 6 weeks I still was as healthy as possible to prepare my body for the weeks ahead. Healthy mom = healthy fetus (usually).

It's not that I'm worried about what people say, I was just curious b/c I never heard it before. Also, even though a cell maybe small, it needs a TON of energy to reproduce (biologically speaking).

But I agree to each their own.

ManiacMcGee · August 2010

meg&jeff:
I have a mother who is a Midwife, and so I get a lot of my information from her. When it comes to prenatals, the reason doctors and most health professionals recommend that "all women of child bearing age" should take PNVs even before they are pregnant, is to help build up healthy nutrients in their system to help support a healthy pregnancy. The most important of those being folic acid, which helps prevent some severe birth defects. PNVs have usually best amount of folic acid in them. So even though you're not sharing nutrients with the baby until approx 6 weeks, prenatals are just a good way to start making a healthy nutrient rich environment.

yes, all true. I know WHY PNV's are important, I was questioning the 6 weeks thing. Many vitamins can not be stored in the fat cells and therefore are flushed out after a day or so. This is why I was questioning the 6 week thing. BUT I just read that extra folic acid can be stored in the liver for 6-9 months, so that answers that question.

Milliways · August 2010

ManiacMcGee:

Yes, that makes sense. LOL, I would never have clicked on a site called babycenter for information, so I'm glad you pointed that out. However, I guess I see the yolk sac as being "made" by the mother with her nutrients. Fine line of distinction I suppose.

I think the point that some people try to make is there is no need to freak out if you had a glass of wine or ate your weight in sushi*, feta cheese*, and lunch meat the night before you got your BFP, because there is no crossing of the placenta yet.

I do not see that as justicfication to keep drinking in excess and smoking and doing things that at any time are not good for your body etc until 6 weeks.

Issues with yolk sac development can obvious be a cause of miscarriage but there (from what I can find) no information if anything causes those developmental issues.

*My own PERSONAL thoughts on the matter is there is nothing wrong with pasturized soft cheese and sushi from a reputable place or wine in moderation after the 1st trimester.

ams8099 · August 2010

ManiacMcGee:
meg&jeff:
I have a mother who is a Midwife, and so I get a lot of my information from her. When it comes to prenatals, the reason doctors and most health professionals recommend that "all women of child bearing age" should take PNVs even before they are pregnant, is to help build up healthy nutrients in their system to help support a healthy pregnancy. The most important of those being folic acid, which helps prevent some severe birth defects. PNVs have usually best amount of folic acid in them. So even though you're not sharing nutrients with the baby until approx 6 weeks, prenatals are just a good way to start making a healthy nutrient rich environment.
yes, all true. I know WHY PNV's are important, I was questioning the 6 weeks thing. Many vitamins can not be stored in the fat cells and therefore are flushed out after a day or so. This is why I was questioning the 6 week thing. BUT I just read that extra folic acid can be stored in the liver for 6-9 months, so that answers that question.

Here is my thinking. Technically speaking, you are 2 weeks when you ovulate. It takes another two weeks for the sperm to fertilize the egg and for it to implant. Putting you at four weeks. Not quite sure about the other two weeks, but IMO, if there is a possibility that you could be pregnant, you shouldn't do anything hazardous to the fetus.

iris427 · August 2010

I think when people say that, it's a simplification. It's my understanding that the embryo begins receiving some nutrients from the mother at implantation. But larger molecules like alcohol cannot pass through until there is a functioning placenta.

You are right, if the embryo received no nutrients from the mother, it wouldn't matter if we took PNVs. But since neural tube defects can occur earlier than 6 weeks and are a result of low maternal folic acid levels, obviously the nutrients in the mother's body do have an influence from the very beginning.

ManiacMcGee · August 2010

Milliways:
ManiacMcGee:

Yes, that makes sense. LOL, I would never have clicked on a site called babycenter for information, so I'm glad you pointed that out. However, I guess I see the yolk sac as being "made" by the mother with her nutrients. Fine line of distinction I suppose.

I think the point that some people try to make is there is no need to freak out if you had a glass of wine or ate your weight in sushi*, feta cheese*, and lunch meat the night before you got your BFP, because there is no crossing of the placenta yet.

I do not see that as justicfication to keep drinking in excess and smoking and doing things that at any time are not good for your body etc until 6 weeks.

Issues with yolk sac development can obvious be a cause of miscarriage but there (from what I can find) no information if anything causes those developmental issues.

*My own PERSONAL thoughts on the matter is there is nothing wrong with pasturized soft cheese and sushi from a reputable place or wine in moderation after the 1st trimester.

Milli, I think we are the same person. I agree 100% with everything you just said. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and your info.

iris427 · August 2010

Milliways:
While the primitive placenta is developing the yolk sak provides nutrients and creates red blood cells, around week 5 the primitive placenta starts to takes over and at 6 weeks or so the yolk sac is gone and the placenta takes over this is when blood and oxygen from the mother are shared (where you hear the term "crossing the placenta")
Prenatals are important for the nueral tube development, which begins in week 4 or 5, you are recommended to have prenatals in your body because the nueral tube is fold a the the top of the embroy which means it was created from the exisisting cells a the inception of pregnacy not at 4 weeks.
Does that makes sense? As lame as the website is, baby center does a pretty go job of explaining it as does your Pregnancy week by week.
https://www.babycenter.com/100_fetal-development_5214615.bc

But where does the yolk sac get the energy and nutrients for those first few weeks?

Milliways · August 2010

iris427:
Milliways:

While the primitive placenta is developing the yolk sak provides nutrients and creates red blood cells, around week 5 the primitive placenta starts to takes over and at 6 weeks or so the yolk sac is gone and the placenta takes over this is when blood and oxygen from the mother are shared (where you hear the term "crossing the placenta")

Prenatals are important for the nueral tube development, which begins in week 4 or 5, you are recommended to have prenatals in your body because the nueral tube is fold a the the top of the embroy which means it was created from the exisisting cells a the inception of pregnacy not at 4 weeks.

Does that makes sense? As lame as the website is, baby center does a pretty go job of explaining it as does your Pregnancy week by week.

https://www.babycenter.com/100_fetal-development_5214615.bc

But where does the yolk sac get the energy and nutrients for those first few weeks?

From the glitter, duh.

anhg80 · August 2010

Thanks for asking this question. I've been wondering, too. I actually used to work for an organization that focused on brain disorders in children, and spoke to an expert on fetal alcohol syndrome (I was working on a study of autism development and we wanted to figure out a way to screen out babies at risk for FAS). She actually said that they believed (at the time - about 7 years ago) that the risk for FAS occurred very early. I remember she said 14-21 days of gestation; it struck me that most people have no idea they are pregnant at that time.

She also pointed out that they didn't know why FAS occurred for some women who drank in moderation, but not for other women who drank fairly large amounts throughout the pregnancy.

I know the common view on this board is "drink till it's pink" and that the baby starts getting nutrients from the mama at 6 weeks, but I think each person needs to determine what risks they feel comfortable with assuming.

kellbranc · August 2010

Milliways:

While the primitive placenta is developing the yolk sak provides nutrients and creates red blood cells, around week 5 the primitive placenta starts to takes over and at 6 weeks or so the yolk sac is gone and the placenta takes over this is when blood and oxygen from the mother are shared (where you hear the term "crossing the placenta")

Prenatals are important for the nueral tube development, which begins in week 4 or 5, you are recommended to have prenatals in your body because the nueral tube is fold a the the top of the embroy which means it was created from the exisisting cells a the inception of pregnacy not at 4 weeks.

Does that makes sense? As lame as the website is, baby center does a pretty go job of explaining it as does your Pregnancy week by week.

https://www.babycenter.com/100_fetal-development_5214615.bc

All of this!!

Plus..don't forget...many women don't chart & some (like my SIL) don't have regular periods. therefore, my SIL didn't know she was PG until 8 weeks along and at that point the neural tube is closed.

alems · August 2010

THIS is the kind of stuff I love to read on here. I definitely learned something from this, which is nice while wading through the "am I pregnant", and drive-by posts while I mostly lurk. Thanks for all the great info!

fetal nutrients before 6 weeks?

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